Amazon.com raises free shipping minimum to $35

Associated Press

Posted:
10/22/2013 12:40:20 PM PDT

Updated:
10/22/2013 12:48:08 PM PDT

NEW YORK -- Amazon.com customers will need to spend more money on the site in order to qualify for free shipping.

The online retailer raised the minimum order size needed for free shipping to $35 from $25. The change, made Monday, comes ahead of the busy holiday shopping season. It also comes after Walmart.com made a similar change earlier this month.

Amazon.com Inc. is pushing customers to sign up for its Amazon Prime service, which costs $79 a year. Members receive free two-day shipping on millions of items on the site and access to its TV and movie streaming service.

In a post on its website, Amazon.com Inc. said that it's the first time it has increased its free shipping minimum in more than a decade.

At Walmart.com, customers now need to spend $50 to qualify for free shipping, up from $45. It also increased the amount of items that are eligible for free shipping. Now, nearly 99 percent of Walmart.com's items qualify, including electronics, toys and clothing, up from 15 percent before, said spokesman Bao Nguyen.